Disclaimer - I don't own twilight or any of its character. It belongs to Stephanie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.
Big thanks to my beta Alley83 for giving up her time to help fix my chapters.
Chapter 7
Bella
I'm not really sure what the social protocol is for when you come face to face with the man that you recently stood up, so I decide to stick to the basics.
"How have you been?"
"I've been ok. School has been really busy, what with finals, but I had my last exam on Thursday so it's all good now." He takes a brief pause before carrying on, and it feels like my heart is in my mouth the entire time he's speaking. "Also, I recently met a really great girl. Um, she's beautiful, smart and funny; a real catch. Have you ever had one of those moments where you see someone and you just know that they're going to be something special, like you have an instant connection with them?"
I'm overcome with disappointment as he describes the new object of his affections. I can't believe I missed my chance to get to know him better. He seems so kind and compassionate, not to mention being incredible gorgeous.
Damn, Edward Cullen, it's his fault I forgot my date!
I struggle to respond to him as I choke back emotion, feeling foolish.
"Yeah, I have. I'm glad that you have met someone. I hope it all works out for you."
"I hope it works out too. It's complicated though because I'm not really sure how she feels about me. I thought she felt the same but then we arranged to go on a date and she was a no show. I waited at the bar for over two hours for her. I couldn't even ring her to find out where she was because my phone was stolen from my apartment when it was broke into earlier that week."
I look up at him in confusion as his words begin to sink in.
Could he possibly be talking about me?
It's like he can read my mind as he quickly answers my unspoken question.
"I'm talking about you Bella. You're the girl I'm crazy about, but please, if you don't feel the same, if I have somehow got the wrong idea just say so? I'm really hoping that there's a legitimate reason for your standing me up though."
I can barely contain my smile as I rush to answer him.
"I'm so sorry about everything. I did just genuinely forget about our date and I know that's no excuse, I have just been so busy recently and more than a little preoccupied. It's tricky but a friend of mine has been having a few problems at home, and I find it hard to switch my brain off. It's been on my mind constantly…"
"Bella, calm down, please. You don't have to explain it to me. As long as your not turning up wasn't your way of telling me that you're not interested, then we're good. Although, if you need someone to talk to about your friend then I'm all ears. I'm a pretty good listener, for a man that is." He chucks a hearty chuckle whilst fiddling with the ends of my hair.
"It's fine and I'm helping my friend resolve her problems, so it will all be sorted out soon."
Daisy counts as a friend, right?
I need to find her and then find Edward and sort this mess out. I can't keep letting my thoughts be dominated by them.
"Then, there be no more distractions? As in, you will have time to actually show up to a date with me?" He looks so charming and is being so sweet about this whole thing.
"Yes. I will turn up to a date with you."
"I look forward to it." He steps around me to the bar and places his empty glass down. "For now, would you care to dance, Bella?"
I have been so engrossed in my conversation with Alec that I hadn't noticed the dance floor filling up. Only a few people are still standing, with most people either sitting around the large, decorated tables or partnered up on the dance floor. I quickly scout the room for Alice, feeling bad for abandoning her. I spot her sat next to a vaguely familiar man looking totally engrossed in whatever it is he's saying. She looks content and happy so I'm sure she won't miss me for a while longer.
"Ok then. Lead the way." I hold my hand out in invitation and he accepts. "I feel the need to remind you that I'm not the most graceful person, and dancing is not one of my fortes."
"Don't worry. I won't let you fall."
As he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me closer, I realize that I have complete faith in him. My stomach is full of butterfly's again, just like the day we met. He twirls me around the floor and I'm barely aware of my surroundings. Somewhere in the back of my mind it registers that I haven't even seen Daisy yet, but I'm too stuck in this moment to do anything about it.
We dance for several songs and talk about little things: where do you live?, what are you studying?, what bands/ music do you like? etc. We just cover the preliminaries but it's nice to know a little bit more about the man that is making me feel such wonderful feelings again.
The evening is going so much better than I anticipated and I'm having fun, but I know that I have to finish this up with Alec now. Daisy needs to be my priority and my plans for the evening are already an hour behind schedule. I explain to Alec that I need to find my friend and we arrange another date for later in the week. Just as we are about to part ways, the unexpected happens. Edward Cullen strikes again.
Alec and I are made aware of his presence by the gruff clearing of his throat.
"Good evening. I hope you're enjoying the party."
Alec, unaware of my sudden discomfort, jovially replies and starts to exchange the usual pleasantries with him. Before too long, I feel the tell-tale tingles that indicate that Edward's looking at me. I fight the urge to look at him, but fail. The minute I make eye contact I can see that he's not happy.
No change there then.
"I'm so sorry to disrupt you evening Alec but I was wondering if I might borrow Isabella?"
Without even waiting for me to answer back, he grabs my hand and walks us towards the entrance of the ballroom. I feel like a child being dragged out by her father for misbehaving, and I'm aware that a few sets of curious eyes have seen the exchange and are continuing to watch the show. I only manage a small wave to Alec before we are out of view.
I hold my tongue until Edward has directed us into a quiet stretch of corridor before I spin around and let him have it.
"How dare you? Who do you think you are dragging me out of there like that?"
"Who do I think I am? Are you joking with me right now? I think the real issue here, is who do you think you are? You're invited here, at my daughters request, her insistence actually, and instead of spending time with her, you're picking up men!" He's ranting and red in the face. "I thought that you were different, but you're the same as the rest of them; Only after one thing in life, a man with money."
"You know nothing about me."
"Oh, I think I do Miss Swan." I was right about his death glare, it's intense.
"No, you don't Mr Cullen. In fact you know very little, about very little. I'm sorry that I got distracted by Alec, I was merely surprised to see him here. We're already friends, we met on campus. I'm not after him for his money, as you put it. I have plenty of my own, I don't need anyone else's. I don't need a man, and whether or not I chose to have one is of no business to you."
He looks mildly affronted, clearly he has no idea that I'm only just getting started.
"I'll have you know that the only reason, bar nothing, that I am here tonight is because of Daisy. I haven't spent much time with her but I love her already. I have thought of nothing but her since we met, and I refuse to sit around and let this farce of an upbringing you provide her continue…"
"Hang on a minute, you know nothing about the way I chose to raise my daughter…" He interrupted me so I interrupt him right back.
"I know enough. You entrust the care of your daughter to a selfish, conceited bitch of a women whose only concern is getting into yourpants. She has destroyed Daisy's confidence and makes her miserable. She lost her. She left her alone in the rain. Her unsuitability as a nanny can't get much clearer than that. It's bordering on child abuse!"
I gasp in air trying to catch my breath, amazed that I'm getting this all out in a somewhat articulate way. Edward is just looking at me and I can't tell whether he's angry or in pain, but I can't bring myself to stop now.
"You're a sorry excuse for a father. You hurt Daisy's feeling when you picked her up. You dismissed her hard work; you couldn't even bring yourself to issue her with a small bit of praise. She looks up to you, she seeks your approval. How can you not see this? She needs you and she wants you, and it's about time that you step up to your responsibilities as her father. Stop focusing on yourself and your own needs and make an effort. A little goes a long way with children. If you don't fix this now, one day you will wake up and find that she no longer needs you and no longer wants you, and you'll be alone. It will be too late to fix things then."
He doesn't say anything and is no longer looking at me. Instead he is intently focusing on a spot of dirt on the pale green carpet. His hands are shoved in his pockets and his form is hunched and defeated. For a fleeting moment, I feel bad. I think I have broken Edward Cullen. I've cracked his hard exterior and the pressure of knowing this is too much. I have to get away.
I take one last look at him as he moves towards the wall and slumps against it, before striding back towards the ballroom, my head not held quite as high as it was on the way out.
Alice rushes over to me as soon as I walk in, but I shrug her off with a promise to explain all later.
"I need to find Daisy now, I need to do what I came here to do. I need to know that she's happy, Alice." She kindly ignores the cracking of my voice, as I struggle to keep my emotions in check, although concern is etched on her face.
"She's over there. I think she has been looking for you and waiting. I've been watching her and she's steadily been getting more and more upset."
She takes my arm and leads me over towards the back of the room.
I'm still a few tables away when Daisy clocks sight of me, but she quickly jumps from her seat and meets me half way.
"Bella, you're here. I knowed that you would come. Nanny Didyme said that you wouldn't come but I didn't believe her, and you're here. Yay!"
She throws her arms around me, overcome with excitement and I feel the tears welling in my eyes.
"You invited me, of course I was going to come. I would never intentionally hurt you or let you down Daisy. Now, tell me, are you having a good birthday?" The small frown that crosses her face tells me everything I need to know, and I try to spare her the distress of talking about it.
"What presents did you get?" I ask, and she is immediately distracted, launching into a list of her new possessions. Whilst she is talking I gently lift her up and carry her over to a table so that we can sit down. Alice follows me like a shadow, obviously taking her job as my bodyguard more seriously after missing my first show down with Edward.
"Did you get me a present, Bella?"
"Yeah, I sure did. I left it out at the reception desk though. I'll give it to you when you leave; I don't want it to get broke. Is that ok?"
"Sure, that's fine. I'm so excited Bella. Give me a clue. Please?" She looks so innocent and sweet and I feel so overwhelmed. If she was my little girl, I would never let her out of my sight. I would do everything I could to make her happy.
But she's not your little girl Bella.
"It's quite big and it used to be mine. I have done a lot of work to it and I bet you have nothing like it already."
"I've not got no idea. Oh, what could it be? Please, can we go see it now? Please, Bella." She pleads. I'm on the verge of giving in when I see an older couple approaching our table. They're holding hands and smiling brightly. They look friendly enough but my nervousness starts to peak as they get closer and closer.
"Daisy, sweetheart, are you having a good time?" The woman asks and I can't help but note that she shares the same green eyes as Daisy and Edward.
"Nanna Esme, Grampa! This is Bella. She's here at my party. I told you she would never miss it." Daisy is now stood on her chair, wrapping her arms around the gentleman's neck. I rise from my seat in anticipation.
"I'm Isabella Swan, Bella, it's a pleasure to meet you." I extend my hand and the lady warmly accepts it.
"I'm Esme Cullen and this is my husband Carlisle. My little granddaughter here has told us so much about you. In actual fact, she rarely stops talking about you and your amazing paintings." She is looking adoringly at Daisy, as her husband continues to tickle her and make her laugh.
"You found Daisy when she was lost and you took her in. You showed her care and compassion, you saved her and for that we are eternally grateful. I don't know what we would do without her. I don't know how Edward would survive. He's been so distressed since it all happened. It was so unsettling and he's having a hard time letting it go. I'm not sure he's ever been as scared before, as he was when you called him. He's been through so much already and that little girl is his life now."
Her words confuse me and I wonder if I have misheard her.
Is she talking about the same Edward Cullen?
"She's a very special little girl. Your son is a lucky man." I'm honest in my reply and I only hope that she can't sense the bewilderment I'm feeling.
"We loved the painting that you helped Daisy paint, Miss Swan, it's wonderful. It's so colorful and it really brightens up Edward's dining room. It looks great hanging up on the wall." My focus switches to Carlisle as he says this and an odd sense of pride fills me. Edward did put the painting up. I was so sure that he would just shove it in his garage or throw it away.
"Daisy did all the hard work. I simply provided the paint."
"And the big paper," Daisy adds earning smiles all round.
"We sure can't forget about that can we, baby." Love shines in Carlisle's eyes as he plays along with her.
They both take a seat at the table and I feel myself relax. The ease at which I'm conversing with them is astounding considering Edward is always so difficult, and it's hard to accept that he was raised by this lovely couple. He's nothing like them.
Time seems to pass much more quickly after they join us. Daisy keeps us all busy telling us stories and asking questions and I learn so much about her, and her grandparents. She is so animated and full of life and I feel happier knowing that she has people who genuinely care about her.
However, as the evening passes by, Daisy begins to flag. She gradually becomes quieter and quieter, even taken up residence on my lap. I'm not the only one who notices her tired state. I see the tacky women in the red dress from earlier before I hear her.
"Esme, Carlisle, how are you my darlings? I hope your having a wonderful evening. It's all going so well. I was just looking for the birthday girl, and now I've found her. Marcus, we can continue the evening's festivities."
The older gentlemen who I saw with her earlier scuttles off behind her and I strain my neck to see what is going on. The woman in red uses my momentary distraction to her advantage and roughly pulls Daisy from my lap, and I'm helpless to intervene.
"Wake up, baby! It's time for some cake."
She leads her to the middle of the dance floor, which has been cleared off, and the lights are dimmed. Daisy and the women in red are illuminated by a bright spotlight.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I love my little granddaughter so much, and I am so grateful that you could all be here tonight to celebrate her fifth birthday party." Her shrill voice makes my skin crawl. She is clearly loving all the attention, but Daisy looks so uncomfortable.
"I have no idea why that vapid woman insists on turning everything into a spectacle, " Esme hisses. "Why does Edward let her pull these sorts of stunts? This whole party is a circus show."
"I don't know, sweetheart, but he does and it's not our place to lecture him on it. He is her father." Carlisle is trying to be diplomatic but his internal struggle is shown in his face.
"Let's sing Happy Birthday!" My attention reverts back to the dance floor and I search Daisy's face for signs of distress. She's definitely distressed.
The band starts up with the customary birthday tune and everyone sings along. A huge cake is wheeled out, lit up with way more than five candles. Daisy quickly blows them out, desperate to escape the attention, and the minute her arm is released by the lady in red she runs back over to us. I wrap her up in my arms as she burrows her head into my hair to try and hide her embarrassment. The lady in red is no longer paying her any attention and is instead chatting with a group of men.
"Hey guys, it's getting pretty hot in here. I think me and Daisy might pop outside to get some fresh air. We'll be back in a minute." I say as I rise from my chair, Daisy still in my arms. She's completely overwhelmed by the entire evening and she needs a break. I shake my head at Alice as she stands up to join me, and she flashes me her all-knowing smile.
I carefully make my way outside into the gardens and wander a little along the path until I find a bench for us to sit on. I place her down first, before sitting down next to her. She immediately curls up to my side and I run my fingers through her hair. No words pass between us but I hear her sigh in relief. It's a beautiful, clear evening and the sky is full of stars. It's nice to take a break from the craziness of the ballroom.
"It's a lovely evening."
I'm startled, not expecting anyone else to be out here. Edward emerges out of the shadows and sits down on the other side of his daughter who is now peacefully asleep.
"Yes, it is."
Silence follows but it's not as uncomfortable as it should be.
"There was a lot of truth in what you said earlier Bella, but you can't presume to tell me how I raise my daughter. I love her and I'm trying to do my best by her. Tanya has been dealt with. She is no longer Daisy's nanny and I'm more sorry than you will ever know that I didn't see her incompetence sooner."
"I'm pleased to hear that."
I glance at Edward and see that he is deep in thought again. He looks so vulnerable and my heart goes out to him. His changing moods and personas are giving me whiplash.
What is going on in his head?
It's a few minutes before he speaks again.
"My daughter isn't happy."
"No, she isn't." Telling him the truth seems the wisest thing to do. I'm glad that he can see what is really going on.
"I want her to be happy."
"I want her to be happy too, Edward."
"We both want the same thing. We want what is best for her." He's speaking slowly and cautiously, like he's only just realizing this.
"This is a first isn't it, us agreeing on something." I giggle quietly but my attempt at lightening the mood goes unnoticed and I shift around nervously.
"That's why I know you will be perfect."
"Perfect? Perfect for what? I don't understand." I have no idea what he is talking about.
What have I missed?
"Perfect to look after her; a perfect nanny."
"But…hang on a minute. Edward, have you hit your head or something? I could have sworn you just asked me to be your daughter's nanny." I'm spluttering and edgy and confused.
"I did." I turn and come face to face with him. He's being completely serious. His eyes are wide and pleading, his stare intense. I feel myself start to blush and I break eye contact, becoming increasingly aware of the electricity in the air surrounding us.
Just like when we were in the kitchen.
I know I have to answer him but my mind can't even begin to comprehend what he's asking of me. He's looking at me and patiently waiting for me to say something, anything.
"Bella, will you be Daisy's nanny?" He asks again but I'm still no closer to responding.
"She needs you. She wants you"
Damn him, he's gone and pulled out the big guns. He's using my words against me.
That statement effectively shreds me of all my choices.
She needs me.
She wants me.
I can't walk away from that. I'm in too deep and there's no way out, and with one simple word my life, as I know it, changes forever.
"Yes."
So, has Bella made the right decision? What do you all think of Edward now? How to people feel about Alec?
Review and let me know what you think. Your opinions and constructive criticism is much appreciated.
Providing that RL throws up no surprises this week, I hope to break from my schedule and update again this week in a few days time.
Hope everyone has a good week!
